Sports, Entertainment & Marketing
Sports Law encompasses many areas of law, such as antitrust, contracts, drug testing, and torts are quite common. Sports law is generally divided into the areas of amateur, professional, and international sports. Also the definitions vary, amateur sports are generally defined as those participated in for hobby or recreational purposes, while professional sports are engaged in for vocational purposes.
Harper Law Firm has over 20 years experience representing athletes and vendors of sports merchandise at sports events around the U.S.A. Many sports events are attended regularly by the Harper Law Firm attorneys, including Super Bowl, BCS Championships and college bowl games, Indy 500, Final Four, World Series, All Star games, NASCAR races, college worlds series, and more. Harper Law Firm assists sports clients with local permits, product confiscations and licensing, collections, contracts, leases, UCC, employment issues, and general business matters.
Athletic activities are often organized and managed by individual groups that establish rules for eligibility and competition, and courts usually uphold the actions of these groups as long as their rules are reasonably applied. Perhaps the most important of these organizations is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”). The NCAA is the governing body for intercollegiate sports and has over 1000 member colleges and universities.
Colleges and universities which receive federal aid are subject to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) and must not discriminate on the basis of sex in their athletic programs. In professional sports, the contractual relationship between the individual player and the team owner is governed by basic contract principles. Most sports leagues now have a Standard Player’s Contract which serves as a model employment contract between players and owners. The relationship between players and the agents who represent them is governed by a Standard Representation Contract which defines the duties and compensation of the agent. Many state legislatures now require agents to register with some type of administrative agency.
The two major international sports competitions are the Olympics, sponsored by the International Olympic Committee, and the World Cup, sponsored by FIFA. The United States Olympic Committee (“USOC”) governs US teams sent to participate in the Olympics and other related competitions.
Partial list of major sporting events worked at and/or attended by attorney Charles E. Harper:
NFL
1997-2001 Epicurean Catering, Luxury Box Suite Attendant for 4 complete Denver Broncos Football Seasons first at Mile High Stadium and then at Invesco Field @ Mile High, Denver, Colorado, including the only two complete Super Bowl winning seasons for the Denver Broncos (See above).
Super Bowl 26, Denver vs. San Francisco, New Orleans Louisiana
Super Bowl 31, Green Bay vs. New England, New Orleans Louisiana
Super Bowl 32, Denver vs. Green Bay, San Diego, California
Super Bowl 33, Denver vs. Atlanta, Miami, Florida
Super Bowl 34, St Louis vs. Tennessee, Atlanta, Georgia, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
Super Bowl 35, Baltimore vs. New York Giants, Tampa, Florida, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
Super Bowl 36, New England vs. St. Louis, New Orleans, Louisiana
Also Super Bowl 36 Host Committee Volunteer Host for NFL at several Downtown New Orleans Boutique Hotels including Le Meridian, Drury Inn, Courtyard Inn, Also Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
Super Bowl 42, New England vs. New York Giants, Glendale, Arizona.
Super Bowl 42 Host Committee Volunteer at NFL Boutique Hotels at New England Team Hotel the Westin Kierland Resort and also at Fairmount Scottsdale Princess Resort, Also Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations in Scottsdale.
Super Bowl 44 Host Committee Volunteer and Special Events Ambassador, Miami Florida 2010
Super Bowl 45, Dallas Texas, Super Bowl Host Committee Volunteer
Super Bowl 46 Indianapolis Indiana
NCAA COLLEGE SPORTS
2000 BCS National Championship, Florida State vs. Virginia Tech, New Orleans, Louisiana, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2002 Sugar Bowl, LSU vs. Illinois, New Orleans Louisiana, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2005 BCS National Championship, LSU vs. Oklahoma, New Orleans, Louisiana, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2006 BCS National Championship Rose Bowl 2006 Texas vs. USC, Pasadena, California, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
200 Final Four, Indianapolis, Indiana, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 College World Series, Omaha, Nebraska, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations and 2009 CWS Volunteer
AUTO RACING
1997 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis (Speedway), Indiana
1998 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis (Speedway), Indiana, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
1999 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis (Speedway), Indiana, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2000 Inaugural F1 United States Grand Prix, Indianapolis (Speedway), Indiana, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2001 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis (Speedway), Indiana, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2001 Nascar Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Florida
2001 Nascar California 500, Fontana, California
2009 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis (Speedway), Indiana, 500 Festival Volunteer
Other various Nascar Races in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Kansas
MLB
1998 All Star Game and Home Run Derby, Denver, Colorado, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2001 World Series, Phoenix vs. New York Yankees, Phoenix, Arizona, Licensed Merchandise Vending Operations
2007 National League Championship Game and 2007 World Series, Colorado vs. Boston, Denver, Colorado
HORSE RACING
2000 Kentucky Derby #126, Louisville, Kentucky
OLYMPIC SPORTS
2002 Olympic Games, Salt Lake City, Utah
2008 Olympic Swimming Trials Host Committee Volunteer, Omaha Nebraska
NBA
1998 NBA Finals, Utah vs. Chicago, Salt Lake City, Utah
2009 NBA Playoffs, Denver vs. New Orleans, Denver vs. Dallas, 2009 NBA Western Conference Finals, Denver vs. Los Angeles, Denver Colorado
HOCKEY
Stanley Cup Finals, Denver Colorado